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Lieu vs. Loo vs. Lue
Due to its unusual Francophonic spelling, many people misspell lieu (which appears most often in the phrase in lieu of) as loo or lue. We even have evidence for people assuming the phrase is inlu of. It is, in fact, in lieu of. Lieu as a standalone noun means “place” and it’s now archaic. You can remember the spelling of lieu by using the mnemonic “lieu in everyday use.”
Examples of lieu in a Sentence
I have decided that in lieu of a going-away shower, those who wish to go in on a nice gift for her can see me after church.
—
Garrison Keillor, Leaving Home, 1989
Many of those pigs live here. Do they ever wonder why their masters walk upright in lieu of going on all-fours?
—Charles Dickens, American Notes for General Circulation, 1842
But when she read, and re-read with the closest attention, the particulars immediately following of Wickham's resigning all pretensions to the living, of his receiving, in lieu, so considerable a sum as three thousand pounds, again was she forced to hesitate.
—Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813
Garrison Keillor, Leaving Home, 1989
Many of those pigs live here. Do they ever wonder why their masters walk upright in lieu of going on all-fours?
—Charles Dickens, American Notes for General Circulation, 1842
But when she read, and re-read with the closest attention, the particulars immediately following of Wickham's resigning all pretensions to the living, of his receiving, in lieu, so considerable a sum as three thousand pounds, again was she forced to hesitate.
—Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813
Recent Examples on the Web
In lieu of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' nonfarm payrolls report, economists have turned to alternative data for insights into the labor market's health.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
The mother is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail ahead of a Friday arraignment in Sacramento Superior Court.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2025
But creating space for aligned connections while protecting your energy is key, not isolation in lieu of making mistakes.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
But in lieu of an actual team, the city is full of older fans clinging to bygone stories, younger fans finding other rooting interests and an NHL-ready arena that just celebrated its 10th birthday in September with no NHL tenant.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lieu
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Alex Harring, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
The mother is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail ahead of a Friday arraignment in Sacramento Superior Court.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2025
But creating space for aligned connections while protecting your energy is key, not isolation in lieu of making mistakes.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
But in lieu of an actual team, the city is full of older fans clinging to bygone stories, younger fans finding other rooting interests and an NHL-ready arena that just celebrated its 10th birthday in September with no NHL tenant.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lieu
Cite this Entry
“Lieu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lieu. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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lieu
noun
archaic
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